As IF Times

This entry will be updated almost weekly given the more than ample contributors to this, the As IF quote hall of shame, a tradition since 2009. Politicians may be over represented in this hall of shame and some in particular more than most. Remember, none of these are made up, some are lifted from other compilers; (ie www.allgreatquotes.com)

“In the long run we can’t continue to spend as if deficits don’t have consequences, as if waste doesn’t matter, as if the hard earned tax dollars of the American people can be treated like monopoly money…” — Barack Obama

“I can make a firm pledge, under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes…” — Barack Obama

“Most of us weren’t born in Amerioa at some point in our lives” — Howard Dean

“Lesbians make better parents than a man and a woman.” — Stephen Scott, of the British Academy of Parenting Practitioners.

“You keep kicking people, and people will leave. Simple as that.” — Richard Daley, Chicago mayor, saying Oprah Winfrey is ending her show because of how she’s criticized in the media.

“I wish they caught me six years ago, eight years ago.” — Bernie Madoff, jailed financier and Ponzi schemer, in newly released interview with representatives of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

“I had to hold my nose and stop those firms from failing.” — Ben Bernanke, US Fed chairman, citing fears of a second Great Depression to explain why he used taxpayer money to bail out firms like AIG last fall.

“Why? Because I’m a black man in America?” — Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. accusing police officer of racism during robbery investigation; Gates was trying to pry open front door of his home in Cambridge, Mass., when onlooker called 911.

“When you face such an overwhelming challenge as global climate change, it can be daunting – it’s kind of like trying to lose weight.” — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the king of kings of Africa, and the imam of Muslims. My status does not allow me to descent to a lower level.” — Col. Gadaffi of Libya, at a meeting of Arab leaders in Qatar.

“I promise you, I get it. I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive.” — US President Barack Obama.

“Why should I have that guy running down the country? Who the fuck is he?” — British Business Secretary Peter Mandelson on Starbucks owner Howard Schultz saying British economy was in a spiral.

“The United States won’t quit trying to destroy the revolution,” –Fidel Castro, referring to the armed rebellion that brought his brother Fidel to power on New Year’s Day 1959.

“The Democrats intend to lead the most honest, most open and most ethical congress in history.”–Nancy Pelosi.

link BBC News – Climate summit most chaotic show on earth – Miliband

Many years ago, in the distant years of my youth, I was a participant in a rugby match. After a particularly rough tackle, two of the opposition players took exception to our player and engaged him in a fight. After a couple of blows to our guy’s fists by the opposition noses, it was obvious that he was more than capable of handling himself despite being outnumbered. From close by, one of our cheerleaders pleaded, “somebody do something!” Our side was bemused by this exhortation because the altercation was clearly one sided and was over.

The aftermath of the great Copenhagen huddle reminded me of this little moment. The historic event which was billed as the ‘world finally getting serious about global warming’ culminated in the alarmists battling among themselves as to exactly how they were going to fix the weather; more precisely, who’s going to pay the bill. The few saner voices who attended weren’t even the lightning rods for debate, since really, there was no debate. They hardly had to raise their rhetorical fists in the fight.

When you observe the most vocal champion of the cause declare that Arctic ice will go the way of teenage virgins within 4 years but the scientist on whose research this is based says, ” well it’s really more than 10 years”, then you know the fight is over, at least for now. Even the most ardent believers of this cause will pause to consider the actual science involved rather than just absorb the rhetoric. I mean, it makes a difference; do you sell the beachfront villa in 2014 or 2020?

When you are able to keep a straight enough face enough to consider the arguments of the global weather crowd, you are able to comprehend the true absurdity of their claims. Without going into a fistfight over numbers, let’s say we accept some of the more popular extrapolations of this crowd.

The main premise is that increases in greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide ( the emmissions of most living things on earth ) will contribute to increases of mean temperatures of 2 to 4 degrees.

OMG!! The earth can’t withstand that!
Why not?
Well because the arctic ice will melt and low lying areas will be flooded.
Why don’t people move?
Because of massive displacement of people.
So?
Well, um, because, uh, well…and also if land floods, food growing areas will disappear leading to massive starvation.
Well if Arctic ice recedes and the world is warmer, wouldn’t that open up vast ares of land in Canada, Russia etc for inhabitants as well as the possibility of new areas of heretofore non arable land?
But what about the exploding population of people?
Statistically, the population growth via birth in most Western countries have been static or declining over the past few generations, excluding immigration. If you use the same extrapalatory criteria to western populations, they project only enough people to support 12 NHL teams in 60 years. Oh that’s right, ice iffy in 60 years.

In addition, advancements in food growing technology have made food growing and processing as efficient as it has EVER been in man’s history. There’s no reason to believe further advancements won’t continue. In addition, if history is any guide, as societies become more advanced their populations decrease.

So this discussion seems to have at its root, the issue of population growth in lesser developed countries. Well, we know how to solve that.